Tool holder

ABSTRACT

A tool holder for elongate tools, in particular drill bits, having a front wall part and a rear wall part, it being possible for the two wall parts to be moved relative to one another in order to expose a filling and removal opening, and having a receiving means for the tools, tool-receiving cutouts being arranged in the receiving means, it being possible for the tool-receiving cutouts to be filled with tools from the filling and removal opening, and the receiving means having at least two spaced-apart crosspieces which run at least more or less perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes of the wall parts and in which the tool-receiving cutouts are arranged, wherein the receiving means has at least one viewing opening which is arranged such that the tool-receiving cutouts, which are arranged in the crosspieces, can be seen during the operation of filling with tools.

[0001] The invention relates to a tool holder for elongate tools, in particular drill bits, of the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Tool holders which have a receiving means with tool-receiving cutouts arranged therein are known in practice. In this case, the tool-receiving-cutouts are arranged predominantly in two planes located one above the other, the planes being formed by crosspieces.

[0003] In this case, in each case two tool-receiving cutouts located one above the other are arranged in alignment, the alignment axis, in practice, corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the tools located in the tool-receiving cutouts located one above the other.

[0004] The tool-receiving cutouts are filled with the corresponding elongate tools from a filling and removal opening. The receiving means, in which the tool-receiving cutouts are arranged, is arranged within the tool holders such that the tool-receiving cutouts located further away from the filling and removal opening cannot be seen. In this case, wall elements of the receiving means, or corresponding installation of the receiving means within the tool holder, prevents the tool-receiving cutouts which are further away from being seen.

[0005] Considerable problems arise during filling of the receiving means as a result of it not being possible to see the rear and/or bottom tool-receiving cutout.

[0006] The receiving means is usually filled by hand. However, since, in practice, the tool-receiving cutouts located further away from the filling side cannot be seen by the individual carrying out the filling operations the individual has to feel the tool-receiving cutouts located further away from the filling site indirectly with the aid of the elongate tool, in order to guide the elongate tool through the lower tool-receiving cutout. This results in a considerable time delay during the operation of filling the tool holder.

[0007] If one considers the relatively high number of drill bits or elongate tools with which such tool holders are largely filled, this time delay adds up particularly disadvantageously.

[0008] Furthermore, during later usage of the known tool holders and of the drill bits or other elongate tools stored therein, it is likewise laborious for the consumer or user to introduce the drill bits into the corresponding tool-receiving cutouts again following their use.

[0009] The object of the present invention is thus to provide a tool holder which can be filled as quickly and simply as possible and into which drill bits and other elongate tools can also be pushed as simply and quickly as possible at a later stage following use.

[0010] This object is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in the defining part of claim 1.

[0011] On account of the fact that the two planes or crosspieces and the tool-receiving cutouts arranged therein can now be seen in the case of the tool holder according to the invention, it is possible for the tool holder or the receiving means arranged in the same to be filled relatively quickly. For manual filling, this makes it possible to reduce the actual filling time by approximately 30 to 40%, as a result of which costs can be significantly reduced.

[0012] Moreover, the tool holder according to the invention can be better utilized by the consumer as a storage container for the drill bits located in the tool holder at the time of purchase, since the drill bits can be quickly removed, and pushed in again, in a relatively uncomplicated manner. It is thus also possible for the tool holder according to the invention to be utilized in a particularly practical manner as an additional storage container by the consumer following purchase.

[0013] A particularly stable embodiment of the receiving means arranged in the tool holder according to the invention is achieved in that ribs are arranged between the crosspieces, parallel to the longitudinal axes of the tools which can be received in the tool-receiving cutouts.

[0014] A higher stability of -the receiving means overall is achieved via said ribs arranged between the planes.

[0015] These ribs also achieve the situation where the tool-receiving means remain stable in terms of their shape and position, this ensuring straightforward filling and removal of the drill bits or other elongate tools.

[0016] A further cost-effective and simple configuration which can be produced consists in the receiving means, which is arranged in the tool holder, being formed from plastic. Forming the receiving means from plastic gives greater design freedom. It is thus possible, by adding a colorant to the plastic of which the receiving means consists, to define the color of the receiving means without an additional lacquering or some other conventional coating operation being necessary for this purpose, as would be the case, for example, if the receiving means were formed from metal,.

[0017] Advantageous developments and configurations can be gathered from the subclaims and from the exemplary embodiment which is described in principle hereinbelow with reference to the drawing.

[0018] The single FIGURE shows a tool holder with a partly filled receiving means in the open state.

[0019] The single FIGURE illustrates a tool holder 1 in the partly filled state, in this case, the tool holder 1 has a front wall part 2 and a rear wall part 3. A receiving means 4 can also be seen in the FIGURE. The receiving means 4 is provided for two rows of tools located one behind the other, or two sets of tools, and has in each case two crosspieces 5, 6, the crosspiece 6 being arranged behind the crosspiece 5 or further away from the filling side than the crosspiece 5, as seen in each case in the filling direction (indicated by arrow 7) or from a filling and removal opening which is produced when the two wall parts 2 and 3 are swung apart from one another. Tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 are arranged in the crosspieces 5, 6 in each case such that the tool-receiving cutouts 8 which are located in one of the two crosspieces 5 are aligned with the tool-receiving cutouts 9 which are arranged in the respectively associated crosspiece 6, the alignment axis 10 corresponding in practice to the longitudinal axis 11 of the tools, e.g. drill bits 12, located in the tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 and/or of the two wall parts 2 and 3.

[0020] The receiving means 4 also has two cutouts 13 as viewing openings which are located, in each of the two sets located one behind the other, on the side 14 of the receiving means 4, said side being directed toward the front, swing-open wall part 2, and the two cutouts 13 being offset heightwise so that they can be seen.

[0021] If the tool holder 1 is provided just for one row of tools, e.g. drill bits 12, it is of course the case that there are only two crosspieces 5 and 6, which are spaced apart one above the other, in which case the single cutout 13 is located as viewing opening between the two crosspieces 5, 6.

[0022] By way of the cutout or the cutouts 13, the two tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9, which together receive individual drill bits 12, can be seen from the front, swing-open wall part 2. This has the advantage that, for the individual who is filling the tool holder 1 or the receiving means 4 with drill bits 12 from the filling and removal opening, said individual viewing the open tool holder 1 from the front or from the front wall part 2, it is possible to see both tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 intended for an individual drill bit 12, and the drill bits 12 can thus be introduced more easily, and therefore considerably more quickly, into the tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9.

[0023] Provision may further be made for ribs 15 to be arranged between the crosspieces 5 and 6, parallel to the longitudinal axes 11 of the drill bits, said ribs contributing to an increase in the stability of the receiving means 4 and/or of the crosspieces 5, 6 of the receiving means 4. This ensures that the tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 remain stable in terms of their shape and position and reliable fixing and storage of the drill bits 12 in the tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 are possible.

[0024] The tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 which are arranged in the crosspieces 5, 6, are designed as circular bores and are adapted with play to the diameter of the drill bits 12. Of course, however, other shapes are conceivable for the tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 in dependence on the tools which are to be received.

[0025] The receiving means 4 is foxed from plastic since this, from a manufacturing point of view, allows simple, quick and cost-effective production of the receiving means 4 arranged in the tool holder 1.

[0026] However, materials other than plastic are, of course, also possible. It would also be possible, for example, for metallic materials to be used here.

[0027] Apart from the abovementioned ribs 15, a stiffening wall 16 (illustrated by dashed lines) which runs more or less parallel to the front wall part 2 and/or rear wall part 3, and is arranged between the crosspieces 5, 6, is also possible for the purpose of increasing the stability of the receiving means 4 and/or of the crosspieces 5, 6 of the receiving means 4.

[0028] In order to ensure that the two tool-receiving cutouts 8, 9 can be seen, it is necessary for the wall to be arranged between the crosspieces 5, 6 on that side of the receiving means 4 which is directed toward the rear wall part 3, which can only be swung away to a slight extent if at all.

[0029] On the side directed away from the filling and removal opening, the receiving means 4 is connected pivotably to the rear wall part 3 via lateral articulations 17. At the same time, the front wall part 2 is also connected pivotably to the rear wall part 3 via the two articulations 17, pivoting through 90° being possible in this case, as a result of which the front wall part 2 acts as a standing surface for the tool holder 1 in the open state.

[0030] The capacity of the receiving means 4 to pivot in relation to the rear wall part 3 is provided by a bounding means in the form of slightly arcuate slots 18 in the two side walls of the rear wall part and pins 19 in the receiving means 4. The pins 19 are guided in the slots 18, as a result of which the capacity of the receiving means 4 to pivot in relation to the rear wall part 3 is predetermined by the length of the slots 18. 

1. A tool holder for elongate tools, in particular drill bits, having a front wall part and a rear wall part, it being possible for the two wall parts to be moved relative to one another in order to expose a filling and removal opening, and having a receiving means for the tools, tool-receiving cutouts being arranged in the receiving means, it being possible for the tool-receiving cutouts to be filled with tools from the filling and removal opening, and the receiving means having at least two spaced-apart crosspieces which run at least more or less perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes of the wall arts and in which the tool-receiving cutouts are arranged, wherein the receiving means (4) has at least one viewing opening (13) which is arranged such that the tool-receiving cutouts (8, 9), which are arranged in the crosspieces (5, 6), can be seen during the operation of filling with tools.
 2. The tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two crosspieces (5, 6) are located one behind the other in relation to the filling and removal openings, and wherein the viewing opening (13) is designed as a cutout between the two crosspieces (5, 6).
 3. The tool holder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cutout (13) between the two crosspieces (5, 6) is located on that side of the latter which is directed toward the front wall part (2).
 4. The tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein ribs (15) running parallel to the longitudinal axes (11) of the wall parts (2, 3) are arranged between the crosspieces (5, 6).
 5. The tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tool-receiving cutouts (8, 9) are designed as bores.
 6. The tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving means (4) is formed from plastic and is connected to at least one of the two wall parts (2, 3).
 7. The tool holder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the receiving means (4) is connected pivotably to the rear wall part (3) on the side directed away from the filling and removal opening.
 8. The tool holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the receiving means (4) is provided with a bounding means (18, 19) for the pivoting of the same in relation to the rear wall part (3).
 9. The tool holder as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bounding means is formed by at least one slot (18) in the rear wall part (3) and at least one pin (19) in the receiving means (4).
 10. The tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein arranged between the crosspieces (5, 6) is a stiffening wall (16) which runs at least more or less parallel to the front wall part (2) and/or to the rear wall part (3) and is located on the side directed toward the rear wall part (3). 